


Terrible Things

by Beatles_and_Bellarke



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, bye, im so sorry, mari made me listen to a song by mayday parade and this happened, now im here to make everyone sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25545316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatles_and_Bellarke/pseuds/Beatles_and_Bellarke
Summary: Aang finally tells Tenzin about his mother, Katara. This allows Aang the opportunity to heal for himself and his son.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	Terrible Things

Aang smiled at his young son, Tenzin. He looked so much like him but he had Katara’s eyes. It pained Aang to see those eyes everyday. He knew Tenzin was old enough now to understand what happened to his mother. It was time he was told. 

“Ten, I need to talk to you.” Aang tried his best not to break. Tenzin appeared in the living room. 

“What is it, Dad?” 

“We have to talk about your mom.” Tenzin’s eyes glinted with something unrecognizable. Aang was struck in awe at how much older his son looked, standing in the doorway. Even at 12, he was a much better person than Aang felt he had ever been. 

“I am finally ready to let you in on a secret,” Aang grinned at his son’s eager face. “Your mother was the most remarkable woman I ever met. She was brave, kind and strong. Her laugh could glue me back together when I felt pulled thin. Most importantly, I loved her so much. I knew from your age, she was the one.” Tenzin scoffed. He barely kept friendships longer than a year. How in the  _ world _ could his father have known who he was marrying at 12 years old? 

“You did  _ not. _ ” 

“I did so! I knew because I could feel it. We went on many adventures together! We dated briefly and broke up. But somehow we knew we’d find our way back to each other. As the years went on, we lost touch. I went off to study my culture and your mother ran her tribe. A few years ebbed away at me when I finally returned to the Southern Water Tribe. I was ready to settle down, get married. But your uncle Sokka was the one to greet me, not Katara. He gave me the news of her illness.” 

“What did you do?”

“The only thing we could. We got married right away. A year or so passed and we had you. I had only 2 years beyond that with her before she left us.” At this, Aang broke. He couldn’t hold back his sobs any longer. Tenzin held his father for a long time and then said, 

“Well I think you’re doing a really great job, Dad.” Aang tried his best to smile through his tears. 

“Thank you, son. I know I haven’t always been the best father. And I know life throws snowballs we never expect. But you are handling it much better than I have and I commend you for that. I’m so proud of you. I know Mom would be too.” 

“I really appreciate that, Dad. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Aang watched his pride and joy, his only child go off and play outside. 

He thought about that beautiful young woman he met when he was no older than Tenzin. Out of the iceberg and into a war not his own. His closest friend and confidant. She brought so much into this world and yet the universe had nothing to give back to her. The irony of it all stung Aang. Katara deserved so much more of the world. She should have been here to see their son grow up, to be there for his first girlfriend or to hold her grandchildren. But that wasn't meant to be. 

Aang held onto the bead from a hair loopy he fashioned into a pendant so he could keep her close. Despite their little time together, they built a life and Aang was excited to see where this life took him. He hoped it would make her proud. 


End file.
